How Does A Platelet Pheresis Donation Work?
During a platelet pheresis donation, the donor’s blood passes through a sterile machine which separates platelets from the blood and returns to the donor his or her blood minus the platelets. This entire procedure is safe. The donor’s body replaces the donated platelets within 24 – 48 hours. Who’s Eligible? To be eligible to be a platelet pheresis donor, you should have given whole blood in the past, be in good health, be at least 17 years old and be willing to devote about 90 minutes to make your donation. Most donors pass that time watching a movie on our VCR or chatting with Red Cross staff and other donors. Type A donors, in particular, are urged to look into the platelet pheresis program. Type A blood is the Universal Donor for platelets in much the same way as Type O blood is the Universal Donor for whole blood. A Good Feeling Many people enjoy the platelet pheresis program because they can help more patients with frequent donations. This is because platelet pheresis donations ca
